Black, White and Shades of Grey
by FantomoDrako
Summary: With the Kishin defeated, life is returning to normal in Death City. But Death City has never been normal and never will be. Now what?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Alrighty, stepping into the world of Soul Eater! I only recently started watching it, but I own the whole thing on DVD and have read the manga up to its current chapter (90).

This is anime-based, set three months after Asura's defeat.

It is also based on an RP. There's a group on FeralHeart that I joined not long back. The founder of the group is also on deviantART and is looking for members to join! If you're interested, head to dA: http: /kiarathefox. deviantart. com/ or go to http: /souleater-the-rp. proboards. com/ (Just remove the spaces.)

Don't be shy! All members who join the forum can participate in the story! I have a thread there called 'RP fic'. Now and then I'll ask people to submit some dialogue and actions (like you're RPing) if I'm up to a part their character is in. It's pretty easy, so don't be afraid to join and jump in!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy my first foray into the written SE fandom!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Soul Eater! I simply borrow Death the Kid now and then. (He's so cool!)

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><p>It was another average day in Death City. The sun was shining and there was hardly a cloud in the sky – it didn't rain often as Death City was located in a desert. The dusty dunes that stretched for miles all around the secluded city also made coming and going a bit of a chore, especially if you were on foot, though the meisters and weapons of the DWMA didn't seem to mind very much.<p>

The inhabitants of Death City were content with their lives, living under the protection of Lord Death and the academy. It was three months since the Kishin that slept beneath the academy, Asura, had been defeated, and people had slipped back into their routines. There was still some rebuilding to be done, but for the most part life was back to normal.

Normal was not a word one would use to describe Death the Kid however. Kid was a Grim Reaper, the son of Lord Death himself. Together with his twin pistols Liz and Patty Thompson, Kid was a force to be reckoned with. He had no need to attend the academy, though he had enrolled on his own volition and was heading there now, only around one hour late so he would be in class just as the clock struck eight.

The three were walking up the long flight of stairs that led to the academy. Liz and Patty were chatting animatedly, though Kid had long since learned how to tune their chatter out until it became meaningless background noise. His attention was suddenly caught by voices – female voices from further ahead.

Kid glanced briefly backwards. The Thompson sisters hadn't noticed, busy with their conversation. _'Probably students who are late also or are skipping class,'_ he thought.

He kept walking and cleared a dozen or so steps before the voices ahead of him became audible enough for him to distinguish words. Kid knew it was incredibly rude to eavesdrop but he was curious. Since the voices were directly in his path, he couldn't exactly help overhearing anyway.

"MIAKO! IF YOU KEEP SAYIN THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER I SWEAR I'M GONNA RIP OUT YOUR INSIDES AND STUFF THEM DOWN YOUR THROAT, YOU HEAR ME?" one of the voices yelled.

Kid's eyes widened slightly at this and the yelling finally caught Liz and Patty's attention. _'No wonder, it's loud enough to wake the dead,'_ Kid thought in exasperation.

"What was _that?_" Liz asked as she swung glances back and forth from the back of Kid's head to the top of the stairs.

Patty giggled. "Aww, somebody's mad!" she exclaimed cheerfully. Her lips were curved upward in a huge smile while her eyebrows were drawn down in a sad frown. How Patty managed to pull off this contrasting expression was a mystery.

A calmer voice floated down the stairs. "Damn, calm down Nioka, I was just kidding. It's not like any god-damn guy would fall for you anyway, plus you already got swarmed by a bunch of wanna-be-your-boyfriend faggots. Like that blue-headed assassin wanna-be. But still, it could be possib-"

The second voice was cut short by a growl, swiftly followed by a cry of "NYAH!" and a thud. The second voice remained silent and Kid, faintly worried about what was going on, increased his pace a bit. The sisters noticed and immediately sped up to match him.

They were almost to the top when the first voice, louder and clearer now that they were closer, rang out with concern instead of anger.

"Oh my god! Miako, are you alright? I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Finally clearing the stairs, the three saw a girl hovering anxiously over another girl on the ground. She was still repeating her chant-like apology and hadn't noticed the sudden audience as her back was to them.

'_This scene looks familiar... She hovers like Tsubaki does over Black*Star, though the other girl looks like Soul after a hit from Maka's book,'_Kid observed. Neither of them looked familiar, but the DWMA was a big place. Kid cleared his throat and the girl whipped around in surprise.

"Er...um... Hi?" the girl said self-consciously. She looked on the verge of tears and ducked her head, so they wouldn't see.

"Hi!" Patty instantly replied, waving one arm enthusiastically in the air above her head.

"Hey there," Liz said, far more reserved than her younger sister.

"Hello," said Kid formally. "I don't recall seeing you two before...are you new?"

The girl shuffled her feet. She was wearing boots similar to Maka's. "Erm...yeah...we're new here. I'm Nioka. The one that's knocked out on the ground is my sister and meister, Miako," she answered shyly, jabbing a thumb at the still form crumpled near her feet.

"I'm Kid and this is Liz and Patty," he said, indicating the girls as he spoke their names. Kid stared at her passively, Liz and Patty remaining silent just behind him. "Do you need some help enrolling?" he offered. It would be no problem to escort the two girls to the front counter and leave them to sort things out with the lady at reception. If he didn't start moving again soon he wouldn't get to class on time. He blithely ignored the fact that he was already late.

Nioka lifted her head to face them, no longer about to cry. "But...aren't you already late for class?" she asked hesitantly. The last thing Nioka wanted was to get somebody in trouble on her behalf, even inadvertently.

"Yeah, but we're always late," Liz said offhand, casting another glance to the back of Kid's head. He chose to ignore her accusing eyes.

Nioka shifted her feet again. "We were going to go enrol, but Miako here kind of...started talking about me getting a boyfriend...so I Nyah kicked her and she blacked out, as usual," she explained.

"Oh," Patty said slowly, drawing the sound out.

"It would be nice if we could have some help, but we don't want to cause you any trouble," Nioka said. She nudged her inert sister somewhat roughly with her boot.

Miako groaned slightly before her eyes suddenly flew open. "WHAT THE FU- Oh... Hi Nioka," she yelled, her voice becoming somewhat indifferent at the end. Miako just stood there, seemingly bored.

"You okay now, sis?" Nioka asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Who are they?" Miako was staring at the three students. A grin crossed her face as her eyes alighted upon Kid. He raised one eyebrow a fraction in response and her grin grew wider. "Did something happen while I was out?" she asked, chuckling.

Patty giggled again and Liz smiled as they both realised what the girl meant. Liz took a step forward so she was right beside her meister and stole a glance at his face, only to find his expression as impassive as ever. Being a girl and his weapon partner, however, she knew the young Reaper was confused and simply hiding it.

"Eheheh... Don't mind my little sister; she has a thing with mood swings, but this doesn't usually happen. Nioka is usually quiet and shy, and can be really sweet to new people, ya know what I mean?" Miako said, staring meaningfully at Kid. The grin was still there.

Nioka cleared her throat awkwardly. "We oughtta get going... We don't want to make them more late than they already are..." she trailed off. She stood there quietly, her eyes on the ground.

"Yeah, you're right. Well, see you later you three!" Miako said cheerfully with a small wave. She didn't seem bothered by the fact that Nioka had neglected to introduce them.

"Yeah... Bye Kid, Liz, Patty..." Nioka said softly, meeting their eyes briefly before turning and following her sister.

"Wait!" Liz called out, causing the two to turn around in curiosity. "We can take you to reception so you can get enrolled, okay? Right, Kid?" she added firmly, daring her meister to disagree.

Kid's yellow eyes flicked from Liz's face to the newcomers. "It's on our way, so it's no trouble to take you there. We need to get to class now though, so follow us if you're coming," he said, walking towards the academy's large entrance doors without waiting for an answer.

"Kid!" Liz hissed. _'I know he wants to get to class at exactly eight and it's only a few minutes away, but that was kind of rude...'_

Kid stopped in the doorway and glanced back to see if they were following. His yellow eyes caught Nioka's own and she shook her head a fraction to each side. _'Thanks for the offer, but we're fine,'_ her eyes seemed to say. Kid simply nodded and continued on his way.

The three walked the empty hallways, their feet automatically taking them to the door of Class Crescent Moon. Kid knocked before gently pushing the door open and slipping inside, Liz and Patty right behind him.

"Sorry we're late Professor Stein," Kid said coolly.

Stein, far too used to Kid's habits, simply nodded and said, "Take your seats."

Black*Star rolled his eyes. Stein never told those three to stand in the hall for being late. Was it because Kid was Lord Death's son? Or was it because Stein knew that any punishment would have no effect on the young Reaper's tardiness?

Liz sighed. Her thoughts were running along similar lines to Black*Star's. They usually got to class on time because she went around Gallows Mansion and set the clocks forward. However, Kid went around the mansion about once a week and gathered up all the clocks so he could set them all at once, ensuring that they were running parallel to each other by the second. It always took Liz a day or so to realise when the clocks had been reset and to go around and 'fix' them all again.

It always baffled Kid. He had to use his golden pocket watch to reset them all. He had even replaced them all once, thinking that they were all fast. The new clocks had the same problem, so Kid had simply left them be and kept up his habit of resetting them every week. It was a strange sort of balance that worked for both parties.

Kid and the sisters took their usual seats beside Maka and Soul and in front of Tsubaki and Black*Star. They exchanged hushed greetings and turned to face Stein.

The professor fidgeted a bit on his chair, his arms resting on its back as he was sitting backwards. When he felt comfortable he cleared his throat. "Right, as I was saying... People most often discern someone's soul by assessing that individual's personality. While this method does work sometimes, it's very unreliable as many people often act differently in certain situations than they would normally. So, how can you tell if someone isn't 'in character'?"

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><p>The apartment next to Soul and Maka's had been empty for almost two years. Now, however, it was full of boxes, most of them unopened and sealed with tape to protect the contents. Those that were open had some bits of Styrofoam packing scattered around them and half of their contents missing.<p>

The place smelled of dust. It had been cleaned once a fortnight by a woman hired by the landlord, but it had a musty air about it that proclaimed its unlived-in state. Some of the shelves in the small living room and tiny kitchen were lined with carefully unpacked items; a photo frame here, an ornament there.

A young looking teenage girl straightened up from her crouched position over one of the boxes. She turned her head to send a mild glare at a mostly white chihuahua sitting upon the couch. "Ugh...Sisi, why don't you help me instead of just sitting there acting all cute?"

The chihuahua cocked a black-furred ear. "Hm? Oh, I just thought you wouldn't need it, Kyoki." A cloud of smoke appeared with a soft popping noise, obscuring the little dog from view. It cleared away a few seconds later to reveal a girl sitting exactly where the dog had been. Without saying anything further, the girl began helping the other.

"Whatever," Kyoki muttered.

The two worked in silence for a while, the only noise being the rustling of Styrofoam and newspaper as more and more things were placed around the apartment. Eventually the silence was broken, though not by Sisi.

"Hey, you know that place my Uncle runs? The DWMA? Well, I was thinking...should we enrol...?"

Sisi, her expression indifferent, shrugged. "Well, it could be dangerous... If we can keep our secret ..."

Kyoki rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Oh Sisi...you and your negative-ness. On the bright side, I get to meet Lord Death AND my cousin! I haven't met his son yet and I really want to – how about it?"

"I don't like the looks of this...especially since you haven't completely gotten over your little problem yet. But...we'll give it a try I guess..." Sisi grumbled.

"Yes!" Kyoki jumped up, a huge joyful smile lighting up her face. "Don't worry – if it gets out of hand I have you to cover me!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Sisi muttered.

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><p><strong>AN:** There, what do you think? I like constructive criticism – I'm always looking to improve. No flames please! I find them pointless and childish. If you don't like the story, don't read it! _OR_ suggest a way you think I could improve it so that you won't mind reading it.

Kudos to any of you who spotted the pun~! I will also give you a plate of virtual cookies and a Kid plushie. (Warning: Kid plushie may not be included.)

I'm actually not a great fan of OCs. They have to be written right or they take over the entire thing and 'go Sue' as I call it. I try very hard not to let ANY OCs in any of my fics 'go Sue'.

This was quite interesting to write as the OCs aren't mine and I have basically little to no control over their actions. I did suggest changing a couple of small things on the forum and they supported my suggested changes. It was really nice because most people will blow up at you if you 'fault' their character or something.

Death the Kid is RP'd by me! Nioka and Miako are owned and RP'd by Nioka Utarizu/NeonANDKyro/KiaratheFox. Kyoki and Sisi are owned and RP'd by Kyoki.

If you wish to use their characters, please ask them. Also, if you have any questions, I can pass them on if you like.

~FantomoDrako


	2. One Shot, Two Shot, Say What?

**A/N: **I know - it's been a while. FH updated, messed up the maps and the group sort of faded for a bit. But we got a new member and the forum at least has come back to life. So expect something extra in the next chapter, courtesy of our new member **darksoul**. Don't be shy, join the forum at ht tp:/ /souleater-the-rp. proboards. com - Enjoy!

"Speech"

'_Thoughts'_

**Disclaimer:** Nor I or my fellow RPers own Soul Eater. We simply take the characters out to play now and then.

**Chapter Two: One Shot, Two Shot, Say What? **

The next morning was bright and clear, with only a few wispy patches of white to mar the expanse of blue. It was supposed to rain tonight although the weather gave no indication at the moment. Weather forecasters were not known for their accuracy.

Liz had 'fixed' all the clocks, so the Thompson sisters and their meister were actually on time today as they walked out the doors of the mansion. Kid had his hands in his pockets and was trying not to smile at the girls' current conversation. Patty thought about the strangest things and always asked her sister about it, so Kid was privy to more than his fair share of inane conversations.

"Why do you people say 'if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound'? Won't the animals hear it?" the younger girl asked, staring at her sister.

"That's a good question Patty," Liz replied patiently, "but I think you're missing the point."

"Huh?"

"That's a rhetorical question Patty; they're not supposed to have an answer. I'm sure that if a tree _did_ fall somewhere, then any nearby animals would hear it, yes. The question means there is _no one_, including animals, around."

"Aww, poor tree!"

Liz favoured her sister with a confused look. "What?"

"That poor tree must be awfully lonely, don't you think, big sis?"

"I'm sure there are plenty of other trees around to keep it company. It's in a forest you know," Liz said, sounding as patient with her sister as ever.

"Yeah, but they can't help the tree back up when it falls," Patty stated sadly.

Liz and Kid both looked at her in surprise. Despite the childish way it was stated, it was rather deep. Both of them knew Patty was not as stupid as she seemed, but moments like these were still a bit of a shock. Even Liz appeared devoid of an answer to that and the three walked on in silence.

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><p>Nioka was also walking to school with her sister Miako. They had walked in near silence for almost a minute before Miako spoke.<p>

"Sooooo...you like him?" she asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively and smirking playfully.

"SHUT UP MIAKO!" Nioka yelled. She looked ready to take a swing at her sister and Miako must've sensed it as she raised her hands in a surrendering gesture, though the smirk never left her face.

"Heheh, fine, I'll shut up for now..."

The silence reasserted itself. It continued on for nearly two minutes this time before another interruption disturbed it. The interruption came in the form of Kid, Liz and Patty as the two groups ran across one another.

'_We must live close by, maybe a block or two away,'_ Nioka thought, barely resisting the urge to turn around and see if she could spot where they came from. She kept quiet, simply staring at the three.

"Well hiya!" Miako greeted cheerfully with a wave. "Nice to see you three, how are you?"

"Hiya!" Patty cheerfully parroted, also imitating the wave. "I'm great and so is big sis. Kid's fine too, right?" she asked, turning to her meister.

"Yeah, hello," Liz said with a small nod.

"I am well. How are you two?" Kid asked politely. His manners demanded no less.

"I'm fine, thanks," Miako replied with a smile. Her smile slipped a little as she glanced at her still-silent sister. "God, Nioka, say something already," she said, making as if to nudge the other girl in the ribs.

Nioka sent her sister a half-hearted glare. "...how 'bout...no..." she mumbled, walking straight past Kid, Liz and Patty, who had varying degrees of surprise etched on their faces.

"Oh my god... Nioka!" Miako yelled after the receding figure. She ran after her, reaching out a hand to lay on her shoulder.

In a flash Nioka whirled around and kicked Miako, dropping the other girl to ground instantly. "YOU SAID YOU WOULD SHUT UP!" she shouted at the prone figure sprawled at her feet. It was just like yesterday, although Nioka wasn't sobbing this time.

She glanced up at the three and sighed before grabbing her sister's neck collar. She then proceeded to drag Miako away without a word, leaving the three behind.

The young reaper stared after them nonplussed, as did Liz. Patty waved at them, unconcerned that one was unconscious and the other had their back to her. Liz put a hand on Kid's shoulder, prompting him to look at her.

"They kinda remind you of Soul of Maka, don't they? Though weirder, if that's possible," she commented.

"Hmm," was Kid's noncommittal reply.

Liz just rolled her eyes and the three set off in the direction Nioka had disappeared.

Five minutes, and many of Patty's 'shortcuts' later, they ended up coming across the sisters again. They heard Miako cry "PUPPYYYYYY~!" and the sound of running feet before they turned a corner and saw the girl chasing what seemed like a stray dog down a side street.

Kid walked over to Nioka, who was standing there watching her sister with an expression of obvious annoyance written all over her face. "Is everything alright?" he asked, resisting the urge to raise an eyebrow at Miako's display. He also resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands as Patty joined her, giggling as they tried to catch the canine. It took a lot of effort, but he had plenty of practise.

Nioka turned to Kid, looking faintly embarrassed and highly peeved. "Miako is kinda...um...a very big dog lover...and..." she said quietly, trailing off and looking at Liz and Patty thoughtfully.

"What?" Liz asked a little unnerved by the scrutiny.

Nioka's gaze switched to Kid. "They can turn into pistols, right? I overheard it somewhere at the academy yesterday. If so, can you do me a favour?" He raised an eyebrow, encouraging her to continue. She pointed at Miako. "Can you shoot her please? In the head is fine, it'll knock her out long enough to get her away from the dog."

Kid's other eyebrow raised to join its twin in surprise.

"What?" Liz asked again, sounding like she thought Nioka was clearly crazy.

Receiving no further reply, Kid turned to Miako, still chasing the dog. _'If we waste anymore time then we'll be late,'_ he thought, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. "Liz, Patty, transform," he suddenly said.

"_What?"_ Liz asked for a third time before rolling her eyes. "Ah, whatever," she said, disappearing as a bright pink light and landing in Kid's left hand.

Patty immediately stopped her pursuit of the dog with a happy cry of "Okay!" She copied her sister's action, becoming a bright pink light and landing in Kid's right hand.

The light vanished in a burst to reveal a pair of identical silver pistols held upside-down which Kid swiftly aimed at Miako, keeping the barrels trained on the running girl. "I apologise for this," he said, pulling both triggers with his pinkies.

Two bullets of the same bright pink light shot forward with a bang and hit Miako in the head, felling her in a split second. He had purposefully made the shots weaker than normal to avoid hurting her beyond knocking her out. Task done, he lightly threw the pistols in the air behind him and both girls turned back with a somersault.

Nioka walked over to her sister and grabbed her collar again. "Eheheh..." she chuckled lightly. "Sorry for the inconvenience... I guess I'll have to walk with you guys, and drag her along, if that's okay," she said.

Kid said nothing, simply nodding in response, and the group set off once more. He sincerely hoped that this wasn't going to become an everyday occurrence. The dog, unnoticed, took the chance to slip away from the crazy humans to a safer alley.

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><p>The curtains of the apartment next to Soul and Maka were flung open, letting the morning light stream in.<p>

"Kyoki...wake up! Hey! Get up; we're late for our first day of school!" Sisi half yelled at the figure still curled up under the bed covers.

Kyoki groaned and poked her head over the covers to peer blearily at Sisi. "Huh? What-oh right! Sorry!" she said quickly, jumping out of bed. Sisi left the room as Kyoki began pulling clothes out and scrambling into them. Now dressed, she raced into the kitchen and straight past, foregoing breakfast. Sisi dashed after her, exasperated.

Since they were headed to the academy, Sisi was in her human form. Unlike Blair, who usually kept her cat ears and tail in human form, Sisi was indistinguishable from a regular person. She had long ago learned to get used to the transition between four to two legs and vice-versa. "Nyeh! Now we have to explain why we're late!"

Kyoki flashed her a quick grin. "Don't worry, they probably won't care much, you stupid mutt!"

"Tch! Just be lucky I woke you up!" Sisi said huffily.

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><p>Kid, the Thompson sisters and Nioka and Miako had been walking in near silence for several minutes. They were almost at the foot of the giant staircase. The whole walk Liz kept shooting discreet glances at Nioka and her unconscious sister, trying to figure them out. Their sisterly relationship was so different to the one Liz shared with Patty and Liz was honestly baffled as to how Nioka could lash out at Miako like that.<p>

Patty quietly giggled every time she caught Liz looking, finding her sister's sneaky scrutiny funny.

Kid kept quiet, though his mind was anything but. The young reaper was debating whether or not to ask his father about the new students. If he did ask, would his dad answer? And if he did answer, would Lord Death tell him anything useful?

The group had just begun the long trek up the stairs when Miako rejoined the land of the conscious. She blinked at Kid and the Thompsons, quickly realising that she was being dragged backwards, though it didn't seem to faze her. "Whoa, hey guys! Again," she said with a grin, ignoring the threat-filled muttering her sister was doing under her breath.

Nioka did not let her sister go until they reached the top of the stairs. She hung back, letting Kid and the Thompsons walk ahead. The son of Death led the way to class Crescent Moon and simply strolled in, nodding to Professor Stein as the good doctor said, "You're late."

Stein resisted the urge to roll his eyes and instead turned the screw embedded in his head until he heard a faint click. His gaze fell upon the two newcomers and he smiled lightly. "Ah, you two must be the new students. Why don't you sit near Soul and Maka? You might make Soul pay attention for once. First, how about you introduce yourselves?"

Miako gave the entire class a cheerful wave and said "Yo," without a care in the world. She noticed her sister seemed slightly shaken by the number of eyes on her, particularly by the male members of the class. Miako nudged her to say something, but Nioka kept quiet, so she decided to handle the introductions.

"Er... Hi! My name is Miako and this is my weapon partner, and sister, Nioka. Please ignore how quiet she is, 'cause she can get very... Nioka?" she asked at the end, looking at her sister.

Nioka was staring blankly at the ground, mumbling curses instead of death threats under her breath.

Miako stared at her, an irritated expression just starting to cross her face. "...Ugh, why are you always so-"

"Please be quiet for one second," Nioka interrupted in a highly annoyed tone. "My head hurts from your non-stop blabbing," she continued darkly with murderous intent, though her voice was strangely blank despite the chills it conveyed.

"Heh," Miako said with a shrug. The sisters headed for Soul and Maka as Stein lazily pointed them out and shooed them away to their seats. All the students stared, some openly while some tried to be discreet. A few whispers of conversation broke out here and there, though they faded quickly.

Soul looked somewhat bored while Maka looked eager, but both of them nodded in greeting and shifted over to make a bit more room. Maka gave the newcomers a brief but warm smile before turning her attention to the front as Professor Stein started the lesson.

"I'm really gonna hate it here..." Nioka muttered plainly.

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><p><strong>AN:** Well I hoped you liked it! If you did, please tell me what you liked about it. If you didn't, please tell me what you didn't like so that I can improve. Flames waste everyone's time, but I do appreciate constructive criticism!

Death the Kid is RP'd by me (and, by extension, every canon character you see in this fic)! Nioka and Miako are owned and RP'd by Nioka Utarizu/NeonANDKyro/KiaratheFox. Kyoki and Sisi are owned and RP'd by Kyoki.

If you wish to use their characters, please ask them. Also, if you have any questions, I can pass them on if you like.

~FantomoDrako


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